In George Orwell's 1984, the purpose of Newspeak, according
to a website
devoted to its study, was not only to provide a medium of
expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to the devotees of
IngSoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible.

Its vocabulary was so constructed as to give
exact and often very subtle expression to every meaning that a Party member
could properly wish to express, while excluding all other meaning and also the
possibility of arriving at them by indirect methods. This was done partly by the
invention of new words, but chiefly by eliminating undesirable words and
stripping such words as remained of unorthodox meanings, and so far as possible
of all secondary meaning whatever.

Media
Matters carried two items today that provide examples of Newspeak
not in the fictional world of 1984, but in the modern day news cycle of
2006.

During ABC News anchor Elizabeth Vargas'
introduction of George Stephanopoulos's preview of the 2006 State of the Union
address, ABC carried text beneath an onscreen picture (see above) of Bush
labeled, "America's Agenda."

The boot-licking lapdogs' attempt to unify
Americans behind Bush's mandate before his grandiose yet reality avoiding speech
flies in the face of recent polls showing Bush's approval rating in the
low 40's and a January 29 ABC News/Washington Post poll showing a
majority of the American people disapproving
of his performance on nearly every major issue.

In addition, White House spin strategists have
embarked on a clear campaign to offset anger over revelations of the NSA
illegally spying on American citizens by calling the action a 'terrorist
surveillance program' - after all, who's against listening to Osama bin Laden's
phone calls right? Let's just not mention the fact that only nine so-called
terrorists, out of the thousands detained without trial, including American
citizens, have even been charged and none of them charged with terrorist
offences. Don't talk about the fact that 70-90% of those taken to internment
camps in Iraq were terrorist suspects for the crime of not showing their papers
at checkpoints.

By changing the terms of address from 'domestic
spying' to 'terrorist surveillance' - the meaning is altered. This is classic
Newspeak.

Imagine my shock when it came to light that Fox
News had prostrated itself in front of the government and adopted lockstep the
'terrorist surveillance program' rhetoric on its news broadcasts.

On January 24th's Fox and Friends - a
mish-mash of celebrity mindlessness with lavish breakfast helpings of government
worship interspersed, the issue was referred to as the 'terrorist surveillance
program' as it was on the following day's O'Reilly Factor.

E.D. Hill and Steven Doocy of Fox and
Friends agreed that 'terrorist surveillance program' "sounded better" and
resolved to use it in all future discussions of the issue. There is no truth to
the rumor that during the same segment the co-hosts concurred that 'President'
wasn't an adoring enough term for George W. Bush and that he should in future be
referred to as 'Supreme Leader In All His Infinite Wisdom and Love.'